Head to Head: Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Aura HD

Best for: Those willing to sacrifice some screen quality for a more portable device and a better bookstore.

E-reader screens aren’t backlit, they’re side-lit, and the LEDs that illuminate the Paperwhite’s screen cause tiny, noticeable “blooms” of light to form on the south side of its face. Also, the settings don’t allow for much fine-tuning beyond some basic tweaks. The Kindle, however, is cheaper, thinner, and much lighter. Besides, it’s what’s in the cloud that really counts: Amazon’s enormous bookstore, Prime membership benefits, and Kindle exclusives.

Best for: Fans of indie bookstores who want the sharpest screen with the best lighting.

It’s chunkier and pricier than a Paperwhite, but the Aura HD’s 265-pixel-per- inch screen is noticeably crisper than the 212-ppi display on the Kindle. And while both use similar methods to distribute light, the Kobo’s screen glows more evenly. You also get better controls for dialing in brightness and choosing fonts. Kobo’s book selection isn’t as deep as Amazon’s, but readers can easily load titles from indie authors, smaller bookstores, and almost any digital source.